The best chance of the game so far goes begging!

Reece McAlear slides a great ball down the side of the Raith defence to put Dipo Akinyemi through on goal, but Ayr's main man lifts his first-time effort over the bar.

He'd have scored that earlier in the season...

James McFadden
Former Scotland forward on BBC Sportscene

Imagine getting the goalie to do some work, eh?

A long ball over the top almost catches Raith out, and Jamie MacDonald gives Tom Lang a piece of his mind after he averts the danger.

Didn't look happy, the veteran goalie.

A corner routine straight off the training ground almost does the trick for Raith.

A clever one-two in the corner catches United napping, and Charlie Albinson rather tentatively pats Dylan Easton's delivery into a dangerous area.

Thankfully for the Ayr keeper, the ball then falls at his feet to spare his blushes.

Amy Canavan
BBC Scotland at Stark's Park

There's a real buzz around Stark's Park, which is understandable given the run Raith Rovers are on.

And my goodness, the hosts have started strong - playing some lovely football on the deck.

That'll keep the singing in the stands going.

No chances as of yet in Fife.

Raith are popping the ball about nicely though, playing with decent width, and are camped in the Ayr half.

Just needs that final pass...

The visitors get us under way, and win a throw-in up the park.

Leanne Crichton
Ex-Scotland international on BBC Scotland

I think it'll be close, because Ayr come here licking their wounds a little bit.

The last time we saw them live on TV, they were up at the top of the league, and they'll be desperate to come here and get back to winning ways.

Raith Rovers are on a brilliant run, momentum within the camp will be good and the players will be looking forward to it.

The teams are out, the crowd are in full voice, I've got a bag of sweets to hand.

Kick-off is just around the corner.

The hosts make just one change from the draw with Queen's Park last time out, as William Akio replaces Esmael Goncalves up front.

For Ayr, Lee Bullen makes three alterations to the side that lost against Partick Thistle.

Daire O'Connor, Reece McAlear and Mark McKenzie all start, replacing Paul Smith, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and Fraser Bryden.

Both managers alluded to the hosts' recent run, which has taken the Kirkcaldy side to within three points of the play-off spots.

They are unbeaten in 13 games in all competitions, since tonight's opponents Ayr beat them 2-0 at Somerset Park in early December. There have been plenty of draws in there, but they're sure better than defeats.

Can they keep this remarkable run going, or will United spoil the party?

Image source, SNS

Ayr manager Lee Bullen has also been giving his thoughts pre-match:

"We're off the back of a couple of defeats in the league, but the response has been brilliant," he said.

"The culture in the changing room has been great - they understand that they've passed up a couple of opportunities, but they also understand that on their day they're a blooming good team. It's about putting things right and getting a positive reaction against a very consistent team."

On what new signing Chris Maguire will bring, Bullen added: "A little bit of devilment, technical ability, and his experience will go very well. We're still trying to get him fully up to speed, but he'll add a bit of nous that will hopefully create chances for our forwards.

"They're the most consistent team in the league at the moment - Ian has done a tremendous job and they're putting a lot of results together. It's going to be a tough game - they'll move the ball, but we know we can cause them problems as well."

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Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray has been talking to BBC Scotland ahead of kick-off:

"We've got a good group of players in there, we don't get carried away," he said. "We don't really look back. We're on a good run, but quite frankly it doesn't count for much when the game kicks off tonight - we're just trying to win tonight's game.

"We've done very well to be where we are, we've done well in the cup competitions. Tonight we see it as an opportunity to put pressure on the teams above us and create gaps to the teams behind us.

"It'll be a tough game. Lee's done a tremendous job since he went in at the tail end of last season; they're in third place on merit.

"Tonight, we want to use home advantage, a good crowd behind us and a bit of a buzz about the place to help us win the game."

Raith Rovers: MacDonald, Millen, Lang, Nolan, Dick, Brown, Spencer, Connolly, Stanton, Easton, Akio.

Substitutes: Thomson, McBride, Ngwenya, McGill, Young, Masson, Goncalves.

Ayr United: Albinson, Reading, McGinty, Kirk, McAllister, O'Connor, McAlear, Dempsey, Mullin, McKenzie, Akinyemi.

Substitutes: McAdams, Jenkins, Ashford, Maguire, Musonda, Smith, Houston, Hewitt.

The weekend is upon us, and you know what that means - it's time for some lovely, floodlit Scottish Championship action.

The BBC Scotland cameras are at Stark's Park this evening, as in-form Raith Rovers host third-placed Ayr United.

It should be a cracker, so let's get stuck in...

Image source, SNS